INSIDE LOCAL GOLF.

Wga To Pull Out Stops For 100th Birthday

May 07, 1999|By Gary Reinmuth, Tribune Staff Writer.

In their distinctive green blazers, the button-down members of the Western Golf Association don't exactly project a party-animal image. After a century of service to golf, though, the WGA is getting ready to raise the roof-- so to speak.

The WGA will celebrate its 100th birthday in style with a black-tie-optional Centennial Gala on May 21 at the Chicago Hilton and Towers. Former Western Open champions Sam Snead and Billy Casper will be among the 1,300 in attendance as the WGA stops to reminisce and reflect on its contributions to the game since representatives of 11 area country clubs gathered at a Chicago hotel to organize the association on April 27, 1899.

"What we want this to be," said Rich Peterson, the centennial committee chairman, "is a wonderful celebration of the significant role the WGA has played in American golf, in terms of championships and scholarships. When the story is told we want everyone in that room to be proud of what the association has accomplished."

Other guests will include four-time Western Amateur champion Frank Stranahan; Jim Awtrey, CEO of the PGA of America; PGA Tour Commissioner Jim Finchem, and Reed MacKenzie, vice president of the USGA. Mayor Richard Daley was invited but has sent his regrets. ABC golf broadcaster Mike Tirico will serve as master of ceremonies.

A videotape presentation honoring past Western Open, Western Amateur and Western Junior champions will precede dinner, and the festivities will conclude with a video history of the WGA, narrated by Pat Summerall. Forty Evans Scholars representing the WGA's 14 chapter houses will be dressed in turn-of-the-century attire and serve as hosts and hostesses.

"Our (eight-member) committee first met in January of 1997," Peterson said. "We've met monthly during the winter ever since. We're rounding third heading for home. Or maybe I should say we're headed for the 19th hole."

Countdown to 2000: The June 3-6 U.S. Women's Open at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss., is less than a month away. That means the 2000 U.S. Women's Open at the Merit Club in Libertyville is only 15 months away. An indication of how close that is: Tournament director Peter de Young is set to move into his 2000 Women's Open office at the Merit Club on June 1.

If de Young sounds like the most relaxed man on the planet, there's a reason. His resume includes 17 Western Opens, and for the last 11 years he and Brian Fitzgerald have teamed to run the Ameritech Senior Open. If that's not enough experience, there's Merit Club pro Ed Oldfield.

"I'd venture to say Ed has been to the last 20 U.S. Women's Opens," de Young said. "He's probably seen the best, the worst, everything."

There isn't much left for de Young and his staff to learn between now and July 21-27, 2000.

"We'll be attending this year's Women's Open," said de Young, "but mostly to introduce ourselves and make sure the USGA and all its officials know who we are. It's more of a look-see mission than anything else. . . . Obviously, we'd like to put our best foot forward. We're very confident right now that we'll pull this off without many hitches."

Sectional qualifying for this year's Open is Monday at Prestwick Country Club in Frankfort. Burr Ridge's Kerry Postillion, Barrington's Char McLear and Crystal Lake's Meredith Ward will be among 33 players competing for three berths in the field.

Donald chosen: Northwestern sophomore Luke Donald has been named to the Great Britain-Ireland Palmer Cup team for the second straight year. Great Britain-Ireland will play the U.S. squad in the Palmer Cup June 12-13 at the Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.

On the tee: The Chicago District Golf Association season heats up with the Illinois State Mid-Amateur Championship Tuesday and Wednesday at White Eagle in Naperville. . . . The Illinois PGA's first stroke-play event of the year is Monday at Riverside Golf Club. . . . The Northern Illinois Men's Amateur Golf Association's May Jamboree is Saturday at Buffalo Grove, Old Oak, Prairie Bluff and Village Greens of Woodridge.